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Ground Hog Day As Carroll Rumoured To Be Available For El Pel

Submitted by nevillenixon on Thu, 04/10/2018 - 10:16

Just when things were progressing swimmingly for the Hammers, a reminder of how fragile their precarious early progress is has arrived in the form of one Andrew Carroll being lined up for a potential return to the first team. A lot has happened since Carroll picked up his obligatory three to four month injury as the precursor to his and West Ham's season, is it going to be another Ground Hog Day? Usually the big geordie's return from injury is heralded by a fanfare that culminates in one or two impressive performances that usually involve him jumping higher and more powerfully than virtually any other player, these efforts are invariably rewarded with a goal or two which are swiftly followed by paper talk of an England call up 'to give the team something different'.

Gareth Southgate is due to announce his squad soon, but the England manager knows that the only Hammer he is really interested in is Declan Rice, Southgate like many others admired Carroll's once in a blue moon attributes but knows to avoid Carroll and his perpetual injuries like a barge pole. In a way Carroll's relationship with the club and it's fans is similar to a couple who have a bad relationship caused by 'cheating or beating', the transgressor shows remorse and promises to be better and try harder, only for the inevitable relapse to occur. Only this time Andy Carroll is not an intrinsic member of the first team and has never been viewed as one, we believe Manuel Pellegrini's instructions to his assistants have been to get the player fit ahead of being able to flog him to a team that are really desperate in the January transfer window!

We are in no way suggesting that Andy Carroll deliberately injures himself, we would mention that his 'health' regime was poor to say the least, particularly before he settled down with his current partner, it is just that Carroll is a race horse not a dray horse and as such his body cannot withstand the impact inflicted on it by his massive leaps in the air and subsequent landings. It is a shame to admit or accept. but Andy Carroll is one of football's 'nearly men', he had the ability but not the body! Dean Ashton is another example of 'matter over mind' although his injuries were severe and career ending, whereas Carroll's have been constant and perpetuated in the early days by a lack of healthy regime.

The club has progressed superbly under the guidance of Manuel Pellegrini and has reached a point where instead of looking back and trying to make the most of bad mistakes the club is moving forward and looking to the future, and that future doesn't include Andy Carroll, who no matter what, is not going to make a miraculous recovery and become injury free, the best medical people in the World have already tried and failed to get the ex-england striker fit for more than a few weeks at a time.

Talks regarding a new contract for Carroll have unsurprisingly not been scheduled, the club will just be looking to get anything they can out of his sale in the January window ahead of his contract winding down as it is in it's final year, Carroll was a 'vanity' signing in a similar vein to Joe Hart, at least Hart wasn't injured 90% of the time! West Ham have moved on, now it's time for other people to buy our has been's and failures instead of the other way! Time to go Andy - Ed

Comments

It really is a shame that AC is so injury prone. When fit he is a real asset to the team and terrifies defences. We are very light up front and are now relying on Arnie. I am not convinced by Perez or Hernandez so what are our options if Arnie gets a knock. AC was not a vanity signing, I well remember the fans pleading with him to stay. AC is a 100% player and that is why he picks up injuries. I would rather that than a prima donna prancing around the pitch checking his hairstyle.

i agree with you jeff. carroll when fit is a powerhouse and does have good skill for his size. my concern though is that can he fit into pellegrini's style? arnautovic has been scoring by running onto through balls, i really don't see carroll doing this, its not his game. so if carroll is to play up front, it means a change in tactics completely and that in turn won't suit anderson or yarmalenko imo.

I have seen AC run onto through balls and score goals and I am sure that he could play with Yarmolenko and Anderson and he is better in the air than any of our other players.The only problem is can he stay fit long enough to make an impression on the team and I fear that the answer is 'Unlikely'. I like AC and when he is fit, he is a monster to play against and does score good goals with both feet as well as his head.But he is so injury prone that you are just waiting for the next spell in the treatment room.Now on the subject of Jack Wilshere......................................................................

Don't you think after that sending off at burnley,carroll seem frightend to get stuck in like he used too, he must have thought f*ck that last time I got stuck in it cost me £180,000 fine,that's 2 weeks of splinters I had pulled out my arse;)

When he is "Fit",the bloke is as injury prone as keiron dyer,so whats the point in giving him another contract??But on the other hand you can bet your bottom dollar in true westham style,if we got rid he would probably by some sort of miracle,stay fit & do well elsewhere,probably back in his geordie homeland!!

We'd be mental to give him a new contract dave,and who ever takes him on would be crazy too,unless he is on some sort of paid when played deal...yes on his day he can be a monster,and I was a fan,but let's face it his return for the club is beyond ridiculous ,it's boring now,and his sort of wages would pay the likes of rice and who ever coming out the academy with an imput to the club,i'd have him as an impact sub now till his contract finishes in june,and by the way don't worry about him coming back to haunt us,he's done nearly 6 years of that all ready ;)

The conundrum is to have him catch someone's eye with a view to selling, he needs minutes on the pitch to get match fit to save a club in January. It's those precious few minutes that result in injury!! Talk about stuck between a rock and a hard place. Hope the word rock doesn't injure him.